Coefficient Rho Research Articles

Population Interest in Information on Obesity, Nutrition, and Occupational Health and Its Relationship with the Prevalence of Obesity: An Infodemiological Study.

To identify and analyze population interest in obesity, nutrition, and occupational health and safety and its relationship with the worldwide prevalence of obesity through information search trends. In this ecological study, data were obtained through online access to Google Trends using the topics "obesity", "nutrition", and "occupational health and safety". Obesity data were obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) website for crude adult prevalence and estimates by region. The variables studied were relative search volume (RSV), temporal evolution, milestone, trend, and seasonality. The temporal evolution of the search trends was examined by regression analysis (R2). To assess the relationship between quantitative variables, the Spearman correlation coefficient (Rho) was used. Seasonality was verified using the augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test. The RSV trends were as follows: obesity (R2 = 0.04, p = 0.004); nutrition (R2 = 0.42, p < 0.001); and occupational health and safety (R2 = 0.45, p < 0.001). The analysis of seasonality showed the absence of a temporal pattern (p < 0.05 for all terms). The associations between world obesity prevalence (WOP) and the different RSVs were as follows: WOP versus RSV obesity, Rho = -0.79, p = 0.003; WOP versus RSV nutrition, Rho = 0.57, p = 0.044; and WOP versus RSV occupational health and safety, Rho = -0.93, p = 0.001. Population interest in obesity continues to be a trend in countries with the highest prevalence, although there are clear signs popularity loss in favor of searches focused on possible solutions and treatments, with a notable increase in searches related to nutrition and diet. Despite the fact that most people spend a large part of their time in the workplace and that interventions including various strategies have been shown to be useful in combating overweight and obesity, there has been a decrease in the population's interest in information related to obesity in the workplace. This information can be used as a guide for public health approaches to obesity and its relationship to nutrition and a healthy diet, approaches that are of equal utility and applicability in occupational health.

Customer Care Considerations and Business Performance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Rivers State

This study examined the relationship between customer care considerations and business performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Rivers State. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design where data were collected from managers and marketers of ten (10) small and medium scale enterprises in the manufacturing sector. A sample of 233 respondents was used for the study. The sample size was determined using the Taro Yamane’s formula. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit data from the respondents. The data collected were analyzed using percentage and frequency analysis, mean and standard deviation, while the hypotheses were tested using Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient (rho). The SPSS 22.0 version was used to correlate the data on the study variables. The findings revealed that there is significant relationship between customer enquiry consideration and customer satisfaction. The study also found a significant relationship between customer enquiry consideration and customer patronage of SMEs. A significant relationship was found between customer enquiry consideration and customer retention by SMEs. The study also reported a significant relationship between customer support consideration and customer satisfaction. The study equally discovered a significant relationship between customer support consideration and customer patronage of SMEs. A significant relationship was found between customer support consideration and customer retention by SMEs. The study also found a significant relationship between customer complaint consideration and customer satisfaction. A significant relationship was found between customer complaint consideration and customer patronage of SMEs. The study also reported a significant relationship between customer complaint consideration and customer retention by SMEs. Finally it was revealed that organizational size significantly moderates the relationship between customer care consideration

Customer Care Considerations and Business Performance of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in Rivers State

This study examined the relationship between customer care considerations and business performance of small and medium scale enterprises in Rivers State. The study adopted the descriptive survey research design where data were collected from managers and marketers of ten (10) small and medium scale enterprises in the manufacturing sector. A sample of 233 respondents was used for the study. The sample size was determined using the Taro Yamane’s formula. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit data from the respondents. The data collected were analyzed using percentage and frequency analysis, mean and standard deviation, while the hypotheses were tested using Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient (rho). The SPSS 22.0 version was used to correlate the data on the study variables. The findings revealed that there is significant relationship between customer enquiry consideration and customer satisfaction. The study also found a significant relationship between customer enquiry consideration and customer patronage of SMEs. A significant relationship was found between customer enquiry consideration and customer retention by SMEs. The study also reported a significant relationship between customer support consideration and customer satisfaction. The study equally discovered a significant relationship between customer support consideration and customer patronage of SMEs. A significant relationship was found between customer support consideration and customer retention by SMEs. The study also found a significant relationship between customer complaint consideration and customer satisfaction. A significant relationship was found between customer complaint consideration and customer patronage of SMEs. The study also reported a significant relationship between customer complaint consideration and customer retention by SMEs. Finally it was revealed that organizational size significantly moderates the relationship between customer care consideration

Service Differentiation and Customer Patronage of Deposit Money Banks in Port Harcourt

This study explored service differentiation and customer patronage of deposit money banks in Port Harcourt. The study adopted the correlational survey research design. The population of the study consisted of twenty-two (22) licensed deposit money banks in Port Harcourt. A sample size of 159 respondents were drawn from the population of 264 top level managers of the 22 licensed deposit money banks in Port Harcourt. The sample size was determined using the Taro Yamene’s formula while the simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample for the study. The main instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire. The data collected were analyzed statistically while the hypotheses were tested using Spearman Rank Order Correlation Coefficient (rho). The analysis was done with the aid of the SPSS version 22.0. The findings revealed that service quality has a positive and significant relationship with customer patronage (customer preference and customer loyalty) of deposit money banks. The study also found a positive and significant relationship between strong network connection and customer patronage (customer preference and customer loyalty) of deposit money banks. This study equally revealed that a positive and significant relationship exists between value added service and (customer preference and customer loyalty) of deposit money banks. Based on these findings, it was concluded that service differentiation significantly enhance customer patronage of deposit money banks in Port Harcourt. Based on the findings and conclusion, it was recommended that deposit money banks in Port Harcourt especially those that are experiencing low customer patronage should adopt service differentiation strategies as it would increase their level of customer patronage.

Association of Dry Eye Symptoms and Signs in Patients with Dry Eye Disease

ABSTRACT Purpose To determine the correlations among symptoms and signs of dry eye disease (DED) in the Dry Eye Assessment and Management (DREAM) study. Methods A total of 535 patients with moderate-to-severe DED were assessed for symptoms using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and four DED signs in both eyes (conjunctival lissamine green staining, corneal fluorescein staining, Schirmer’s testing, and tear break-up time (TBUT)) following standardized protocols at baseline and follow-up visits (months 3, 6, and 12). Spearman correlation coefficients (rho) were calculated for correlations among symptoms and signs of DED at baseline and among changes in symptoms and signs from baseline at 12 months. The confidence intervals and p-values for correlation coefficients were calculated using a cluster bootstrapping to account for inter-eye correlation. Results At baseline, OSDI total score was not correlated with signs; however, OSDI subscale score of ocular symptoms was weakly correlated with corneal staining score (rho = 0.14, p = .002) and Schirmer test score (rho = 0.11, p = .01). There were statistically significant correlations among the four signs (p < .001), with absolute correlation coefficient ranging from 0.14 (conjunctival staining score vs. TBUT) to 0.33 (conjunctival staining score vs. cornea staining score). The correlations among changes in symptoms and signs were weaker, with the highest correlation between change in conjunctival staining and corneal staining (rho = 0.21, p < .001). Conclusions Consistent with previous studies, among DREAM participants with moderate-to-severe DED at baseline, correlations of DED symptoms with signs were low and correlations among four objective signs were low to moderate. The correlations among changes in symptoms and signs were even weaker.

E06 Does GGT level correlate with activity parameters in enthesitis-related arthritis?

Abstract Introduction Enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) is one of the main subgroups of juvenile idiopathic arthritis. As in the adult population, monitoring of patients with ERA is based on clinical and laboratory evaluation. Some studies showed a correlation between Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels and rheumatoid arthritis disease activity markers. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the correlation between GGT levels and ERA activity parameters. Methods This is a cross-sectional monocentric study including patients meeting the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) 2001 criteria for ERA. We collected the demographic and clinical data. We assessed the ERA activity using clinical parameters including Patient Global Assessment (PGA), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Morning stiffness (MS), tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC), active enthesitis count (AEC), clinical sacroiliitis, back mobility, and ocular involvement. We collected biological parameters such as the C-reactive protein (CRP) and the Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). We calculated the Juvenile spondyloarthritis disease activity (JSpADA). GGT level was measured on the same day. The correlation was evaluated using Spearman’s rho coefficient (r). r-value &amp;lt;0.3 was considered poor; between 0.3 and 0.39, moderate; between 0.4 and 0.69, strong; and &amp;gt;0.7 very strong. Results Thirty patients with a mean age of 15.1 ± 4.1 years, and a ratio-sex of 2.75 were included. The mean disease duration was 4.3 ± 3.2 years. The mean PGA and the mean VAS were 6.2 ± 7.1 and 8.9 ± 2.9 respectively. Mean TJC, mean SJC, and mean AEC were 1.53 ± 2.8, 0.18 ± 0.47, and 1.2 ± 1.6 respectively. Clinical sacroiliitis was found in eight patients, limited back mobility in six, and uveitis in three patients. The mean CRP and ESR were 15.1 ± 22.7 mg/l and 23.8 ± 21.2 mm, respectively. The mean JSpADA was 2.6 ± 1.7. Mean GGT was 14.3 ± 6.6 mg/l. A strong correlation was noted between the GGT level and both CRP (r = 0.504, P = 0.05) and ESR (r = 0.601, P = 0.01). However, no correlation was noted between GGT level and PGA (r = 0.107, P = 0.6), VAS (r = 0.03, P = 0.9), SJC (r = -0.17, P = 0.368), nor JSpADA (r = 0.323, P = 0.87). Conclusion Our results suggest a strong correlation between GGT level and biological ERA activity parameters, unlike clinical parameters and disease activity scores. More studies are needed to confirm these findings. Ethics The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Prognostic role of euthyroid sick syndrome in MIS-C: results from a single-center observational study.

Euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS) is characterized by low serum levels of free triiodothyronine (fT3) with normal or low levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (fT4) and is reported in different acute clinical situations, such as sepsis, diabetic ketoacidosis and after cardiac surgery. Our aim was to evaluate the predicting role of ESS for disease severity in patients with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children (MIS-C). A single-centre observational study on consecutive patients with MIS-C. Before treatment clinical, and laboratory data were collected and, in a subset of patients, thyroid function tests were repeated 4 weeks later. Variables distribution was analyzed by Mann-Whitney U-test and correlations between different parameters were calculated by Spearman's Rho coefficient. Forty-two patients were included and 36 (85.7%) presented ESS. fT3 values were significantly lower in patients requiring intensive care, a strong direct correlation was shown between fT3 and Hb, platelet count and ejection fraction values. A significant inverse correlation was retrieved between fT3 levels and C-reactive protein, brain natriuretic peptide, IL-2 soluble receptor and S-100 protein. Subjects with severe myocardial depression (EF < 45%) had lower fT3 values than subjects with higher EF. The thyroid function tests spontaneously normalized in all subjects who repeated measurement 4 weeks after admission. ESS is a frequent and transient condition in acute phase of MIS-C. A severe reduction of fT3 must be considered as important prognostic factor for severe disease course, with subsequent relevant clinical impact in the management of these patients.

Digital epidemiology and infodemiology of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) in Italy. Disease trend assessment via Google and Wikipedia.

The study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological trend of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Italy using data on Internet search volume. A cross-sectional study design was used. Data on Internet searches were obtained from Google Trends (GT) and Wikipedia. We used the following Italian search term: "Malattia mano-piede-bocca" (Hand-foot-mouth disease, in English). A monthly time-frame was extracted, partly overlapping, from July 2015 to December 2022. GT and Wikipedia were overlapped to perform a linear regression and correlation analyses. Statistical analyses were performed using the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rho). A linear regression analysis was performed considering Wikipedia and GT. Search peaks for both Wikipedia and GT occurred in the months November-December during the autumn-winter season and in June during the spring-summer season, except for the period from June 2020 to June 2021, probably due to the restrictions of the COVID19 pandemic. A temporal correlation was observed between GT and Wikipedia search trends. This is the first study in Italy that attempts to clarify the epidemiology of HFMD. Google search and Wikipedia can be valuable for public health surveillance; however, to date, digital epidemiology cannot replace the traditional surveillance system.

Comparative Analysis for Atmospheric Oscillations

In recent decades, studies on atmospheric circulations indicate that those patterns have influences on meteorological variables. This paper investigates the comparative statistical analysis of atmospheric oscillations with climatological elements. Based on analysis of the climate data obtained from observed values of meteorological station in Antalya, it was pointed that atmospheric elements such as meteorological variables were associated with atmospheric oscillations such as North Atlantic Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation, Antarctic Oscillation and Pacific-North American pattern. Spearman’s rho and Kendall’s tau statistics were employed to reveal the relations between atmospheric variables and atmospheric oscillations as statistically significant. Both coefficients were compared in interpreting the direction and strength of the relationships. It was seen that Spearman’s rho coefficients presented more suitable values generally.

Measurement properties of the short version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) for individuals with knee osteoarthritis

BackgroundAssessment instruments play an essential role in the management of knee osteoarthritis. This study aimed to verify the clinimetric properties and validate the short version of WOMAC’s (SV-WOMAC) knee with two domains, pain (four items) and physical function (eight items) in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (KO).MethodsReliability and internal consistency Construct, criterion validity, Ceiling, and floor effects analyses were performed. In addition to the SV-WOMAC, the following instruments were used: the numerical rating scale (NRPS), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and WOMAC’s original version. Spearman’s correlation coefficient (rho) was used to determine the magnitude of the correlation between the AFAQ and the other instruments. Moreover, the test–retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach’s alpha, respectively. In addition, standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimum detectable change (MDC) were calculated.ResultsOne hundred and thirteen subjects with KO were included for validity analysis, and a subsample of 53 subjects was used for test-retest reliability. Adequate reliability and internal consistency were observed with ICC ≥ 0.76, SEM ≤ 1.85, MDC ≥ 5.1, and Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.84. Regarding construct validity, correlations greater than 0.50 were observed with the IKDC, NRPS, and functional domains of the SF-36. The SV-WOMAC showed a correlation > 0.70 with the original version and did not show ceiling and floor effects.ConclusionThe SV-WOMAC knee has adequate measurement properties to analyze pain and physical function in Brazilian individuals with KO.

In search of heart barometer—advantage of left atrial dimension over electrocardiographic indices of left ventricular hypertrophy in arterial hypertension

Aim: Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) is a common and relevant complication of arterial hypertension (AH) and 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is widely used for its preliminary assessment. The aim of the study was to compare the correlations of four ECG-derived criteria of LVH and left atrial (LA) anteroposterior diameter with LVH assessed by echocardiography and expressed as left ventricular mass (LVM) index (LVMI) in search of the most accurate preliminary indicator of LVH. Methods: The study included 61 subjects with AH [age (year) 69 ± 10, 17 females] and 27 without AH, (age 40 ± 9, 10 females) evaluated with 12-lead ECG and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). As the ECG-based criteria of LVH Sokolow-Lyon index (SLI), Cornell voltage (CV), Cornell product (CP), and Romhilt-Estes point score (RES) system were evaluated. The ECG indices and LA diameter were correlated with LVMI and correlations coefficients were compared. Results: Among ECG-LVH indicators SLI showed the closest correlation with LVMI [rank correlation coefficients (rho) = 0.38, P &lt; 0.0001], followed by CV and CP with rho = 0.33, P = 0.002 and rho = 0.32, P = 0.002, respectively, whereas RES did not correlate significantly with LVMI. The strongest correlation with LVMI was found for the LA diameter with rho = 0.73 and P &lt; 0.0001, showing an even stronger correlation in women—rho = 0.8 (P &lt; 0.0001) vs. rho = 0.65 (P &lt; 0.0001) in men. In the multivariate analysis, the LA was the only independent predictor of the increased LVMI with R2 = 0.52, P &lt; 0.0001. Conclusions: LA diameter outperformed significantly the ECG indices as far as the correlation with LVMI was concerned and emerged as the only independent predictor of mild and moderate LVH in hypertensive patients. Among the ECG criteria, the strongest correlation was shown for SLI, followed by CV and CP indices.

Postmortem computed tomography assessment of skeletal and dental age in Polish children, adolescents, and young adults

This paper presents a retrospective analysis of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) scans of secondary ossification centers in the medial clavicular epiphysis, iliac crest apophysis, proximal humeral epiphysis, distal femoral epiphysis, proximal tibial epiphysis, and distal tibial epiphysis. At the same time, we analyzed PMCT scans of the maxillary and mandibular incisors, canines, premolars, and molars. We assessed 203 corpses, whose age ranged from 2 to 30 years, including 156 males and 47 females. The purpose of our study was to compare the processes of secondary ossification center fusion and permanent tooth maturation. Our research hypothesis was that certain stages of skeletal and dental maturation occur along consistent timelines that can be related to the chronological age. Secondary ossification center fusion was evaluated based on Kreitner and also McKern and Steward’s classifications. The process of permanent tooth maturation was evaluated with Demirjian’s method. Spearman’s correlation coefficients (Rho) were positive in all analyses, which indicates that epiphyseal fusion progresses with age. The strongest relationship between the age and the stages of ossification was observed in the proximal tibial epiphysis (p < 0.001; Rho = 0.93) in females and in the medial clavicular epiphysis (p < 0.001; Rho = 0.77) in males. Studies show the importance of concomitant analysis of skeletal and dental maturation with a subsequent comparison of the results to achieve a greater precision in age estimation. A comparison of the results obtained in the study population of Polish children, adolescents, and young adults with the results of other studies in populations of similar ages showed a number of similarities in the time windows of dental and skeletal maturation. These similarities may help in age estimation.

15-item Roland-Morris disability questionnaire for general pain (RMDQ-g): Structural validity and criterion validity on Brazilian patients with chronic pain

BackgroundRoland-Morris Disability Questionnaire for general pain (RMDQ-g) is an instrument adapted to assess disability in patients with pain in any region of the body. ObjectiveTo perform the structural and criterion validity of the RMDQ-g in Brazilian patients with chronic pain. DesignA cross-sectional study. MethodsWe included native speakers of Brazilian Portuguese, of both sexes, aged ≥18 years, with pain for at least 3 months in any region of the body. Participants eligible for the study responded to an online form containing personal and clinical data, and assessment instruments. We used the confirmatory factor analysis and considered the following fit indices: chi-square/degree of freedom (DF), comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA). In the comparison between models, we considered the structure with the lowest values of the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and sample-size adjusted Bayesian information criterion (SABIC). We assessed criterion validity via Spearman's correlation coefficient (rho) to correlate the long and short versions. ResultsThe study consisted of 297 participants with chronic pain. The main sites of pain were the lumbar region (40.7%), thoracic (21.5%), and neck (19.5%). Mean pain intensity was greater than 5 points. The 24-item long version and the 15-item short version had adequate fit indices (chi-square/DF ≤ 1.77, CFI ≥0.97, TLI ≥0.96, and RMSEA ≤0.05). However, when comparing structures, the short version was the most appropriate because it had the lowest values of AIC (2562.05) and SABIC (2577.72). Criterion validity was acceptable (rho = 0.94) and internal consistency as well (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87). ConclusionThe structural validity and criterion validity of the RMDQ-g with one domain and 15 items is the most appropriate version and should be considered in the clinical environment and in research for measuring disability in patients with chronic pain in any region of the body.

Relationship between sonorheometry parameters and laboratory values in a critical care setting in Italy: a retrospective cohort study.

This preliminary retrospective cohort study analyzed the relationship between the parameters provided by sonorheometry device Quantra and the coagulation values obtained from standard venous blood samples in patients admitted in intensive care unit (ICU). We reviewed medical charts of 13 ICU adult patients in whom at least one coagulation study with Quantra was performed. The relationship between Quantra and laboratory data was analyzed with the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (rho). The 95% confidence interval (CI) was computed. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. We collected 28 data pairs. Statistically significant moderate correlations were found for the following parameters: clot time (CT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (rho=0.516; 95% CI, 0.123-0.904; P=0.009; clot stiffness (CS) and the international normalized ratio (INR; rho=0.418; 95% CI, 0.042-0.787; P=0.039); INR and platelet contribution to CS (rho=0.459; 95% CI, 0.077-0.836; P=0.022); platelet count and platelet contribution to CS (PCS; rho=0.498; 95% CI, 0.166-0.825; P=0.008); and fibrinogen and fibrinogen contribution to CS (FCS; rho=0.620; 95% CI, 0.081-0.881; P=0.001). Quantra can provide useful information regarding coagulation status, showing modest correlations with the parameters obtained from laboratory tests. During diffuse bleeding, CT and FCS values can guide the proper administration of clotting factors and fibrinogens. However, the correlation of INR with CS and PCS can cause misinterpretation. Further studies are needed to clarify the relationship between Quantra parameters and laboratory tests in the critical care setting and the role of sonorheometry in guiding targeted therapies and improving outcomes.

Reliability of domain authority scores calculated by Moz, Semrush, and Ahrefs

Search engine optimization (SEO), the practice of improving website visibility on search engines, faces the considerable challenges posed by the opacity of Google’s relevance ranking algorithm. Attempts at understanding how this algorithm operates have generated a sizeable number of studies in the worlds of both business and academia. Indeed, this research tradition has managed to present strong evidence regarding the participation of certain factors and their relative importance. For instance, there is a widespread consensus that domain authority is one of the key factors in optimizing positioning. This study seeks to determine the reliability of the domain authority scores provided by three leading platforms for SEO professionals: Moz’s Domain Authority, Semrush’s Authority Score, and Ahrefs’ Domain Rating, values obtained using different indices and applying different procedures. We hypothesize that the degree of coincidence is high, allowing us to deduce that the three tools are, therefore, highly reliable. The method of data triangulation is used to compare the values from these three sources. The degree of coincidence is determined using a statistical analysis based on Spearman’s correlation coefficient (rho). The sample of domains analyzed was selected from 61 neutral queries, which provided 16,937 results and a total of 3,151 domains. When examining the tools in pairs, the correlation coefficients obtained were above 0.9 in all cases. The rho coefficient of the global analysis was also 0.9. This confirms our hypothesis and demonstrates that the three platforms can be considered as providing reliable data. These results are clearly relevant given that SEO professionals depend heavily on domain authority values in their work, and the degree of reliability detected ensures that decision-making based on this indicator can be undertaken with confidence.

Validation of the Greek version of the Accommodation and Enabling Scale for Eating Disorders (AESED).

Eating disorders-related research has shown that families, in order to alleviate family conflict and stress, accommodate the symptoms of individuals with eating disorders. It has been argued that by tolerating or alleviating symptoms, the latter may gradually be reinforced or even fully accepted, as the family becomes increasingly "trapped" in specific eating patterns, weight control behaviors, and body shape worries. The Accommodation and Enabling Scale for Eating Disorders was created in 2009, aiming to assess family adaptability of individuals with eating disorders. The purpose of the present research was to test the psychometric properties of the Greek version of the scale in a sample of parents of individuals with eating disorders. The translation procedure was carried out based on the forward-backward method, while the study was conducted at the Eating Disorders Clinic of the First Psychiatric Clinic of Aiginiteion Hospital. The convenience sampling methods were used for the sample's recruitment. Respondents reported on their basic demographic characteristics, and completed the General Health Questionnaire-28, and the Accommodation and Enabling Scale for Eating Disorders. The final study's sample consisted of 125 parents of individuals with eating disorders (69.6% women), with a mean age of 55.2 years. Factor analysis revealed a five-factor model, similar to that of the original version of the scale, with the model explaining 63.3% of the total variance. Internal consistency was judged to be high, with Cronbach's coefficient a being 0.93 for the scale's total score, while Cronbach's α for the five subscales ranged from 0.78 to 0.90. Convergent validity was tested with the Spearman's coefficient rho, which revealed a statistically significant correlation of the weighted scale with the General Health Questionnaire (rho=0.33, p<0.5). The results showed that the Greek version of the Accommodation and Enabling Scale for Eating Disorders is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the adaptability of families of people suffering from eating disorders. Application of the tool to larger samples will validate its psychometric properties on a larger scale.

Traditional agricultural knowledge of banana, cocoa and sugar cane crops as a basis for the sustainable development of the rural parish Mariscal Sucre

The research aimed to demonstrate the impact of traditional agricultural knowledge on the sustainable development of banana, cocoa and sugar cane crops in the rural parish of Mariscal Sucre. For this, it was necessary to investigate and adopt a methodology that would estimate the degree of sustainability of the productive systems, identify how it is related to the applied practices and propose an agro-ecological management strategy for these crops. The evaluation was carried out using the MESMIS method but modified through a 30-item form applied to 61 farmers, which collected information to diagnose the incidence of agro-ecological practices and the degree of sustainability of crops. The results were processed in Excel and SPSS and presented with tables and graphs. The agricultural systems showed poor performance, falling into the category of agro-ecological unsustainability. At the same time, the most frequent customary practices consisted of the application of Mulch, and knowledge about protective and antagonistic crops. Consequently, it was determined that there is a moderately positive correlation between agro-ecological practices and sustainability with a Spearman's Rho coefficient of 0.48; therefore, the management proposal was aimed at reinforcing the productive component with agro-ecological practices. In conclusion, the customary practices contributed to the parish's sustainable development. Therefore, it is advisable to give technical training on the implementation of integrated farms and carry out campaigns to rescue traditional agricultural knowledge. Keywords: Agroecology, customary practices, sustainability assessment, agro-ecological management.

The mediating role of perceived social support: alexithymia and parental burnout in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Parental burnout is a concept that reflects the emotional exhaustion and emotional distance of parents from children due to their inability to cope with the pressure of parenting. It has been confirmed that parents of autistic children are at higher risk for parental burnout. Additional research has suggested a relationship between parental burnout and parents' personality traits. However, the relationship between alexithymia, an independent personality factor, with parental burnout is little to none. To look into the connection between parental burnout and alexithymia among parents of autistic children. Three hundred and one parents were approached for recruitment and data were collected from 203 parents through a cross-sectional survey assessing parental burnout, alexithymia status, and perceived social support. Because the data is not normally distributed, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient rho(p) was used to assess the correlation between the variables; and then using AMOS to analyze the mediating effects of perceived social support and the moderating effect of gender. The result showed that (1) There is a negative association between alexithymia with parental burnout (β = 0.6, p < 0.01), while perceive social support was the negative predictor of alexithymia (β = -0.45, p < 0.01) and parental burnout (β = -0.26, p < 0.01); (2) perceive social support partially mediated the relationship between alexithymia and parental burnout of parents of autistic children, which can explain 16.3% of the total effect; (3) Gender plays a moderating role in the first half of the indirect effect of alexithymia on parental burnout, as evidenced by the significant difference in path coefficients between the male and female models (male: β = -0.10, p < 0.05; female: β = -0.60, p < 0.05). Health professionals and policymakers should be aware of parental burnout among parents of autistic children in China and take early intervention steps. Furthermore, they should recognize the negative impact of alexithymia and the positive impact of social support when developing plans to alleviate parental burnout in children with autism, with a particular focus on mothers with alexithymia, who are more likely to experience low social support and burnout than fathers with alexithymia.

An Attempt to Measure and Model Women’s Attitudes to Saving for Retirement

Abstract Research background Because of the convergence of demographic, political, and economic trends, retirement has become a significant stage of human life, which currently requires thoughtful and careful planning. Therefore, social pension schemes – a type of system under which the benefits are being provided – and women’s individual saving decisions should give consideration to the fact that it is necessary to accumulate additional funds which should be sufficient for several decades after retirement. Purpose Social pension schemes are widely discussed in all European countries, and in this context we can pose the following question: What is it exactly that makes women save for retirement? This paper has two objectives: to identify the factors that encourage women to save and to measure these factors and develop a model which shows correlations. Research methodology A questionnaire survey was used for collecting the primary data. Subsequently, the analysis is based on 4 indexes created for the purposes of this paper. Then, the indexes were estimated on the basis of the unidimensional two-parameter IRT model, rho and CR coefficients, and multiple-group logistic regression analysis. Novelty The conducted calculations lead to the conclusion that regardless of age, several factors are statistically significant for the whole analysed group, e.g. a place of residence. This is the first paper that shows determinants important for women when it comes to saving for retirement.

The Correlation of Financial Management Practices and Controlling Mechanisms for Financial Management Challenges and Issues The Case of Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Congregation

The study analyzed financial management practices and controlling mechanisms for financial management challenges and issues in religious congregations, specifically the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Congregation. The study was based on a questionnaire survey sent to 305 respondents among the religious sisters. Weighted mean and the Spearman rho coefficient values were applied in the statistical processing of the data. The results showed a significant positive relationship between financial management practices and the controlling mechanisms for financial management challenges and issues, suggesting that a lack of control mechanisms could lead to the possibility of fraud. The study suggests that good financial management practices impact management resources and decision-making. The study highlights the importance of financial management practices for non-profit organizations, as they can be prone to financial challenges and issues due to lack of resources or mismanagement and its effectiveness is crucial for the sustainability, growth, and impact of the organization.